From blackouts to lightening storms, your computer's supply
of electricity is at risk this summer. If the power supply to your computer
is suddenly cut due to a sudden storm or rolling blackout, bad things can happen.

If you don't live by the "save early and save often" rule,
that 12-page report you're just finishing is probably toast, and you may have
to start all over again. And since your computer wasn't shut down properly,
when you do start it up again, you'll probably need to jump into your System
Tools folder and run a Scandisk and a Defrag, too.

On the other hand, allowing too much electricity to hit
your computer can cause problems far more serious than merely losing a document
 it could fry your entire system! Now is the time to assess your computer's
vulnerability to electrical problems.

The first step is to determine whether your home is equipped
to handle all the power-consuming goodies you're throwing at it. If you live
in an older home and you have doubts about its electrical capacity, spring for
a visit from a qualified electrician and find out where you stand. Try not to
overload a particular circuit, and if you have a home office, consider putting
all your expensive equipment on a dedicated circuit.

In a perfect world, the circuit breakers in your house
would protect your computer. That's what they're designed for. If a big surge
of electricity comes through, the circuit breaker is supposed to pop, thus preventing
that surge from finding its way any further into your home.

However, your home-wiring circuit breakers probably weren't
designed specifically to protect your PC. That means by the time they pop, it
may already be too late for your personal computer. The smart money is on power
protection engineered specifically for your electronics.

Depending on your needs, there are three general levels
of power protection  surge suppression, power conditioning and uninterruptible
supply. But no matter what level of protection you choose, make sure that everything
connected to your system is included  power, network cables, phone lines
and your modem connection.

If all you need is basic surge suppression, check to see
that your model is specifically designed for sensitive components. It's important
to look carefully at the specifications on the suppresser's box because all
suppressers are not created equally.

Look for a suppresser that offers a response time (the
time it takes for the suppresser to react to a surge) of five nanoseconds or
less. Energy dissipation is also key. This is how much electricity the suppresser
can absorb before it blows. Here, look for one in the 200 to 400 joules range.
A failure indicator light that tells you when the suppresser is on the blink
is also important. If you are still using a dial-up modem, you want to be sure
the suppresser blocks electricity that can come in from the phone lines, too.

Also, be sure that the suppresser you buy has a UL compliance
stamp. This guarantees that the surge suppresser meets the specifications of
Underwriters Laboratory. Look
for a suppresser that meets the UL 1449 specifications. You can verify a product's
UL Listing or Classification by sending an e-mail to info@us.ul.com. Or if you
prefer a more traditional route, from the United States and Canada, you can
call toll-free 1-888-LISTUL1 (1-888-547-8851).

Some brands of surge suppressers include an equipment protection
guarantee that covers components damaged if the device fails to do its thing.
That's a smart idea. No matter what suppresser you buy though, be sure to unplug
both the suppresser and modem line during a lightening storm, and remember,
suppresser components do wear out, so replace them every couple of years.

Back in our perfect world, electricity is delivered from
the electrical outlets in your home at a constant and clean 120 volts. But,
in the real world, electrical power is typically subject to some degree of fluctuation.
These variances are often referred to as "dirty power," and they can cause intermittent
problems with your computer.

If you want to ensure that your computer gets the cleanest
power possible, it's time to invest in a power conditioner. In addition to providing
surge suppression, a power conditioner also "cleans" any dirty power that passes
through. The end result is that your computer gets a consistent and reliable
power supply.

If you're in the market for a power conditioner, American
Power Conversion Corporation offers the Line-R 1250 for a street price around
$120, including a $25,000 equipment protection policy. It automatically corrects
sags and overvoltages by boosting low voltage and stepping down high voltage
to levels that are safe for your system. Other companies offering a variety
of power conditioner models include PowerWare
and Tripp Lite.

For the ultimate in power protection  including protection
in the event of a complete blackout  you need to look at an uninterruptible
power supply, often called a UPS. A UPS takes the benefits of a power conditioner
and adds one more important feature: a battery backup system. In other words,
if the power goes out, your computer will continue to run off the battery.

There are a few things you do need to know about UPS devices.
For starters, different devices are designed to handle different loads. And
as you might imagine, the higher the load capability, the higher the cost. That
means if you go shopping for a UPS, you can't automatically grab the cheapest
one. Different characteristics of your computer system  or at least the
components you plan to plug into the UPS  will determine the minimum UPS
you need to buy.

For example, a CRT monitor uses a lot more power than a
LCD monitor, and the bigger the display, the higher the juice consumption. If
you have a 21-inch CRT, you're going to need a beefier UPS than your neighbor
who uses a 15-inch LCD (or CRT, for that matter). Likewise, if you want your
laser printer plugged into the UPS, you'll also need an upgraded device.

Rather than spend a fortune on a UPS that can run your
whole system, I recommend getting one that can support your computer and monitor,
and then plug everything else into a separate surge suppresser or power conditioner.

Some of the bigger names in the UPS market include the
previously mentioned APCC, PowerWare and Tripp Lite, plus Belkin
also offers a full lineup of power supply products.

One warning for UPS users: Keep in mind that devices aren't
designed to let you keep working for a long period of time. If you are hit with
a blackout, shut down your system in the normal manner, and then unplug everything
 when the power comes back on, there could be a spike capable of overloading
some components.

Kim Komando is a national talkshow host, syndicated columnist, computer
editor and best-selling author. Her works have appeared in such publications
as USA TODAY, the Los Angeles Times and Popular Mechanics. In cyberspace, she
can be found at www.komando.com.
Got a question for Kim? Put a call into the Kim Komando Computer Show - toll-free
at 1-888-825-5254, on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET. Or e-mail her
at komando@komando.com.